Sexual assault in the transportation industry is nothing new. However, sexual assault in the ride-sharing industry has consistently grown over the years. Companies such as Uber or Lyft have become among the biggest ride-sharing organizations in the world, and they often face criticism for reported sexual assaults.
Both drivers and riders have faced sexual assaults while working for or using Uber or Lyft transportation services. In many instances, Uber sexual assault lawyers were hired by these victims to file lawsuits against the company. But what are the legal implications of sexual assault in the ride-sharing industry?
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Rideshare Sexual Assault and Why You Should Take Action
Sexual assault victims are often left scared for life due to their traumatic experiences. When it comes to rideshare sexual assault victims, they have a bigger advantage of receiving higher compensation for their traumatic experience than other types of victims.
This is because the rideshare company, not only the perpetrator, will be held liable for their actions. If you work closely with an Uber sexual assault lawyer, you won’t just receive fair compensation for your traumatic experience, you will also be able to keep your conversation confidential. But there is more. You will also ensure that what happened to you, no matter how minor or severe, won’t happen to anyone else.
Since rideshare sexual assault victims have come forth with allegations against these ridesharing companies and hold them accountable, they have started implementing more safety measures to protect their users.
However, if you still experienced sexual assault, physical assault and were exposed to indecent exposure, rape, or unwanted physical contact while working for or using Uber, you should take legal action right away and hold the company and abuser accountable.
Depending on the severity of your case and how you wish to proceed, you might not even need to appear in court and settle the lawsuit outside the court or without the need to travel out of your state if the crime occurred elsewhere.
Rideshare Assaults and Why They Occur
Since rideshare drivers aren’t required to follow the same regulations or licensing permits as taxi drivers, predators working as independent contractors used this opportunity to find victims. In the past, Uber drivers had their backgrounds checked before being hired by the company. However, the ridesharing company only recently decided to rerun background checks and see if the drivers have committed any crimes since they were hired.
When it comes to sexual assaults between riders, they often occur due to the company’s carpool feature. With this option, multiple riders that aren’t acquainted with one another can get into a vehicle at one time so that they pay lower fares. Yet, this is when sexual assaults can easily occur as predators take advantage of a victim’s embarrassment of acknowledging the inappropriate behavior.
Another reason why rideshare assaults occur is due to their lack of safety measures, such as no dashboard cameras, physical dividers, or other methods that might intimidate predators from taking action.